Its a challenging time

1
Its a challenging time

• Chris Jones
• Chairman, ESA Health and Safety Working Group

2
Its a challenging time.

• The challenges we foresee
• The challenges that we dont foresee
• Meeting the challenge

3
The challenges that we foresee.

• Noise from the domestic collection of glass
• HSE and ESA research indicates that the majority
  of separated glass collection systems generate
  significant levels of noise
• Engineering solutions are being explored but for
  existing systems sufficient noise reduction at
  source is problematic

4
The challenges that we foresee.

• Noise from the domestic collection of glass
• In the short term
• Minimise or eliminate exposure to noise
• Using existing capital assets
• Without disproportionately increasing other
  risks.

5
The challenges that we foresee.

• Noise from the domestic collection of glass
• In the longer term
• Design collection systems that reduce or
  eliminate glass-glass contact
• Work with equipment designers and manufacturers
  to control noise emissions
• Review the rationale for doorstep glass
  collection.

6
The challenges that we foresee.

• Risk assessment of (domestic) collection rounds
• The greatest number of fatalities in the industry
  is from vehicle related incidents
• Greater diversity in materials collected and
  collection methodologies brings more diverse
  risks

7
The challenges that we foresee.

• Risk assessment of (domestic) collection rounds
• Issues raised around dynamic risk assessment, the
  responsibilities of professional drivers, single
  verses two sided collection, training and
  information provision.
• Lack of accepted national guidance (and therefore
  a common approach from HSE inspectors) is a
  problem.

8
The challenges that we foresee.

• Raising and standardising levels of training
  provided.
• Overcoming the legacy issues
• Dealing with literacy
• Develops with the deployment of new techniques
  and technology

9
The challenges that we dont foresee.

• A raised profile for occupational health?
• Limited availability of detailed information on
  short term absence.
• Little consistency of approach to health
  surveillance.
• Limited understanding of the potential long term
  health effects (especially RSIs)

10
The challenges that we dont foresee.

• Long term health effects of new operations?
• Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs) in MRF
  operatives.
• RSIs in collection operatives.
• Breathing and digestive disorders.

11
The challenges that we dont foresee.

• Changes in workforce, changes in work type?
• More mechanical risks, less manual risks -
  different hazard/risk control methodologies
  required.
• More technicians fewer operatives - different
  behavioural management needs.

12
Meeting the challenges.

• Keeping informed, gathering data, sharing
  experience
• WISH
• Already completed and published.
• General guidance for the industry (INDG 359)
• CA site guidance
• Site related transport guidance
• Safe operation of skip loaders (INDG 378).
• Bioaerosol risks from green waste collection
• Machinery lock out procedures
• Orphaned gas cylinders
• Driving operations for waste and recycling and
• Handling needles in waste and recycling.

http//www.hse.gov.uk/waste/wish.htm
13
Meeting the challenges.

• Keeping informed, gathering data, sharing
  experience
• ESA
• Accident data and analysis

14
Meeting the challenges.

• Keeping informed, gathering data, sharing
  experience
• ESA
• Accident data and analysis
• Strategy
• Guidance and initiatives

http//www.esauk.org/
http//www.esa.org/members/health/guidance/index.a
sp
15
Meeting the challenges.

• Design safety in from the start
• Greater cooperation between contractors and
  clients, development teams and operators.
• More attention paid to safety issues in the
  review of proposals.

16
Meeting the challenges.
Maintain and be committed to the implementation
of health and safety improvement plans which
ensure continuous improvement
17
The second biggest challenge
Accident rates in the waste industry - Fatal
injuries 2003/4
The Industry with the highest rate of fatal
injury is the recycling of waste and scrap where
the rate is nearly 40 times the national average.
18
The second biggest challenge
Accident rates in the waste industry - Bomel
Report
James Barrett, head of the HSE's Manufacturing
Sector, said "These rates are unacceptable for a
major industry, such as the waste sector. This is
a growing, dynamic and innovative industry which
has to rise to the challenge presented by the
figures and reduce the appalling human and
financial cost to the industry." HSE press
release 16 June 2004
Damming research was published yesterday by the
HSE which showed that around 4,000 accidents are
reported by the waste industry each year, or
approximately 2,500 per 100,000 workers. This is
nearly five times the national average accident
rate, and the fatal incident rate of 10 in
100,000 is ten times the national average.
From letsrecycle.com 17 June 2004
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The biggest challenge

• Nine of many reasons why the industry has to do
  better..
• 21 February 2006 a fork lift truck operator
  crushed when the vehicle overturned at a scrap
  yard in Lowestoft, Suffolk
• 16 February 2006, member of the public struck by
  refuse collection vehicle in Weybridge, Surrey
• 2 February 2006 a member of the public was found
  dead inside a waste paper compacting machine in
  Birmingham
• 2 February 2006 a waste picker was run over by a
  mechanical shovel at a recycling centre near
  Hartley-Witney, Hampshire
• 30 January 2006 a member of the public was run
  over by a reversing bin lorry in Wigton, Cumbria
  
• 30 January 2006 a binman run over by his own
  vehicle whilst collecting household waste in
  Morpeth, Northumberland
• 27 January 2006 a bulldozer driver died on a
  landfill site in Brogborough, Bedfordshire after
  becoming caught on his vehicle
• 25 January 2006 a crane collapsed on a customer
  at a scrap yard in High Ongar, Essex
• 21 December 2005 a binman was hit by a car when
  collecting wheelie bins in Bournemouth

Act now, its too late to react later.
20
The biggest challenge

• Four reasons from the last four months why the
  industry has to be proactive in improving its
  performance
• 13 March 2007 a member of the public was run over
  and killed by an reversing RCV in East Sussex
• 19 April 2007 a cyclist was run over and killed
  by an waste collection vehicle in Oxfordshire
• 14 May 2007 a member of the public was run over
  and killed by a reversing RCV in Lancashire
• 21 June 2007 an employee was run over and killed
  by a skip vehicle in Wiltshire.

21
Facing up to the challenge.

• Working together
• Sharing information
• Experience
• Proactive strategy
• Designing for safety
• Improvement plans
• Improved Health, Safety Welfare record